Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-03-17

been six months since | heard one
of the most prominent men in the
Cherokee Nation to-day "rehash"
your action in certain case. He
said you approached n Cherokee
Indian whose right to citizenship
had never been doubted and fabri-
Gated a story in reference thereto,
and after ingratiating yourself you
succeeded in obtaining an order
from him on a certain store to buy
provision for your family while
you went to Tahlequah and sue
ceeded in getting him doubted, and
from that you continued to bleed
him until you actually forced him
to sell the roof from over his fam
ily's heads and had the man not
left the district you would more
than likely have forced him to sell
his birthright.
Now, don't say | have lied in
this "rehash" for two more prom
inent men who held Offices by
the voice of the people were also
in the room at the time. You say
the supreme court needs no de-
fense. o, thou mighty jurist ! As
said before, 81 believe Hon. Jack
Alberty and J. NJ. Keys were hon
est in their opinions, and had it
not been for their delusion in
trusting you they would have left
Tahlequah with the conscious
ness of right in their hearts and
their constituents regard. AS it is
it stands out crying shame, with
many of their personal friends
attributing their action to We
nality. And, do you think, Mr..
Scales, these men do not see it
when their actions have been so
publicly condemned And do you
think this scurrilous assault you
have made on me will satisfy them
and cause you to be retained as
clerk of the court longer than Hon.
j. NJ. Keys has time to open his
eyes to the true situation. If so
let me tell you the court viii in
deed be suspected of foul play, for
| have heard more than one attor-
ney say he would not appeal a case
to that court so long as it stood as
il was. And one of those attor-
neys has had a practice in these
courts for more than twenty years.
And remember, Mr.. Scales, | new
er make an assertion that / can't
prove.
Now, as to your skunk hunting
enterprise for all I'd like to see
you do something to make an hon
est living, which | am satisfied
from observation and public rumor
you haven't done at the practice of
law or clerkship of the supreme
court-I would advise you not to
enter into this business, for il a
man can possibly make himself
odoriferous by downright kuavery,
the cost of your unnecessary dis
infectants in order to give the dogs
an equal show would surpass the
gross receipts. Then think of the
poor dogs in case you and the
skunks should collide.
You say 81 have much to be
thankful to divine providence for
and had not the good Lord made
me an ass would have been
scoundrel." q" Divine providence
seldom fires blank cartridge-it
is probable, however, such might
have been the case in your birth
but it is oftener our dispositions,
associations and opportunities that
make US what we are, and if the
good Lord is not at fault in your
case, in view Of the apparent facts,
Mr.. Scales, ] would say your dis
position was extremely vicious,
your associations demoralizing and
your opportunities more than
abundant. "Oh, old sir Robert.
father, on my knee. | give heaven
thanks / am not like unto thee. {"
You say you are not responsible
for the decisions of the court"
Directly you are not but indirectly,
in many cases, | suppose. you will
not deny as the fact has been con-
ceded.
In the divorce matter would
suggest that you take the advice
you have given me, believing you
far my superior in that respect,
and can truthfully say 1 have but
one divorce suit now pending in
the courts ; and further, that
have never taken a divorce case
without first trying to dissuade
and refusing to take the case until
the party had ample time to re-
fleet, and in many cases persuading
the parties to forgive and return to
their former relations, for the truth
of which / refer you TO my clients.
And now TO the issue. These
little attorney assertions, Bissell's
remarks, &c, are Of course true,
but the question you so successful
ly dodge, and the one your friend
and advocate ga" so gallantly
leaves you to writhe under, /. g.
"What right has Joab Scales, while
clerk Of the supreme court, to prac-
tice law before its different
branches and thus invite criticism
and censure on both clerk and
court ?" This is the thorn, Mr..
Scales, which has pierced you so